Condominiums have always been popular with singles and young couples, and lately families have been jumping on the bandwagon, too.

But now it’s not just parents and their children who are snapping up condo units. They’re increasingly being joined by their parents’ parents and their children’s children.

Real-estate developers are finding that, more and more, several units in the same building are being bought by different generations of the same family.

Sociologists call these multigenerational families, and they can be appealing for a number of reasons. Some may want to be closer to their aging parents. Others may want to be able see their grandchildren more often. And parents of young children are always grateful for having loving babysitters on call who live just metres away.

“Every family is different. They come in all shapes and sizes,” said Pasquale Carbone, a long-time developer who has built more than 4,000 condominiums in Montreal and the surrounding area.

Carbone has noticed the heightened demand in recent years from condo buyers seeking out multigenerational living arrangements. These can range from specific requests for adjoining units, to simply wanting a condo in the same building as a parent or child.

His latest project — the Orizon development on Bates Rd. in Town of Mount Royal, on the cusp of Outremont — has already attracted several buyers looking for space to accommodate different branches of the family tree.

“The recurring theme that really stands out is being able to help your loved ones while making your life easier,” Carbone said.

Of course, multigenerational living is nothing new. Indeed, it had been the norm in North America until 50 to 60 years ago, when single-family suburban homes became popular.

But multigenerational living is making a comeback. Recent census data in Canada indicates the number of grandparents living with their grandchildren jumped 45 per cent between 2001 and 2011. It is estimated there are now upward of 363,000 multigenerational households in the country.

That has prompted developers and architects to offer innovative solutions for buyers in the market for property that suits the needs of a multigenerational family.

In the past, a multigenerational living arrangement may have involved setting grandparents up in the basement, or letting a young couple live above the garage as they saved up for their first home.

Condos, on the other hand, offer a range of possibilities that allow each generation to enjoy their own space while still being in proximity to each other.

“In a condo setting, no one has to settle for a lesser portion of the house,” Carbone said. “Families and extended families could each have their own equivalent units.”

He added: “What we hear from families wanting to do multigenerational is that they want the best of both worlds — the convenience of being close to their family, but keeping their independence and privacy of their own home. The condo setting answers all these needs.”

Carbone tells of one family that bought two condos side-by-side, one for the parents and one for their teenage children. In order to accommodate the family’s desire for a shared space, Carbone created an opening between the two units.

The family’s plan is to close up the separation when the children are older and want more privacy, but not yet ready to strike out on their own. When the extra unit is no longer being used by their children, they’ll be able to sell it.

“Because there are many different ways to do multigenerational (living) in a condo setting, the most important thing is to determine the kind of multigenerational you want to do,” Carbone said. “How much space together or apart do you want?”

In order to customize condo space to your family’s particular needs, Carbone recommends buying as early as possible in the project’s development. This is when developers have the most flexibility in terms of offering things like adjoining units or wall and room locations.

“At the end of the day, we’ll do what we can to make sure it feels like a home for each member of the family,” he said.

This story was produced by Postmedia Content Works on behalf of Espace Condo Orizon for commercial purposes. Postmedia’s editorial departments had no involvement in the creation of this content.